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Gulls
'Seagulls' are a typical feature of the coastal environment in the UK and a natural part of our country’s wildlife. Gulls have lived close to people for thousands of years but some species are now in decline. So what are 'seagulls', and why are some gulls nesting in urban areas?
What’s that gull?
There are seven species of gulls which breed regularly in the UK:
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Not really a black-headed bird, more chocolate-brown - in fact, for much of the year, it has a white head. It is most definitely not a 'seagull' and is found commonly almost anywhere inland. Black-hea... More... |
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Herring gulls are large, noisy gulls found throughout the year around our coasts and inland around rubbish tips, fields, large reservoirs and lakes, especially during winter. Adults have light grey ba... More... |
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A very large, thick-set black-backed gull, with a powerful beak. Adults are blacker than the smaller lesser black-backed gull. It has a heavy flight and can look quite hunched when perched. It will f... More... |
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Slightly smaller than a herring gull, the lesser black-backed gull has a dark grey to black back and wings, yellow bill and yellow legs. Their world population is found entirely in Europe. After decli... More... |
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Slightly larger than a black-headed gull, with an all-black head in the breeding season. Adults have white wing-tips and underwings, younger birds have more wing markings. It has a large, slightly dro... More... |
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It looks like a small, gentler version of the herring gull, with greenish legs and a yellow bill. Despite its name, it is not at all common in some inland areas, though often abundant on the coast an... More... |
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A gentle looking, medium-sized gull with a small yellow bill and a dark eye. It has a grey back and is white underneath. Its legs are short and black. In flight the black wing-tips show no white, unli... More... |
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Habitat and food
Gulls are found mainly on the coast in summer, although black-headed gulls also nest inland. Large numbers of some gull species move inland in winter, roosting on lakes and reservoirs, and feeding on farm fields and refuse tips.
Kittiwakes feed on small surface-shoaling fish and crustaceans caught offshore, and will also scavenge at fishing vessels. They do not forage inland. Large gulls (herring, lesser black-backed and great black-backed) feed on almost anything of suitable size.
Herring gulls generally forage within 10 km of their nests while lesser black-backed gulls will travel much further to feed. They hunt fish and other sea creatures, but also take carrion, rubbish, litter, and waste food, as well as eggs and chicks of other seabirds. They are natural scavengers, and take advantage of organic waste at landfill sites and in towns.
All gulls, except kittiwakes, will feed on ploughed fields, and herring and black-headed gulls in particular can be found ‘charming worms’ on pastures, playing fields and other grassy areas.